MHM's primary goal for the LMNA-8 Project, a Phase 1 archaeological reconnaissance survey, was to determine the nature of specific anomalies–possible shipwrecks & other submerged sites - after conducting targeted sonar scanning of possible anomalies using new and improved sonar equipment - exceeded expectations and produced several positive outcomes. A major positive outcome of this project was the attainment of 8 Minnesota Archaeological Site numbers for 8 of the wrecks from the Office of the State Archaeologist (OSA). In time, the other 3 wrecks will get site numbers once they qualify for that status under OSA guidelines.The LMNA-8 Project produced interesting and significant results, particularly identifying 10 new wrecks, 6 new maritime sites, 8 ‘other’ sites including 3 snowmobiles and 1 barrel, 2 trees, 2 big rocks, and questions about 1 known wreck are now answered. Further, as part of the research design for the LMNA-8 Project, additional sonar surveys of targeted anomalies took place using new and greatly improved remote sensing equipment. The quality of the new data allowed MHM to determine the nature of 15 anomalies without conducting diving reconnaissance: A704 was identified as a tree and 14 others (A191, A214, A399, A400, A459, A470, A508, A580, A611, A673, A696, A701, A702, A703) were determined to be false targets (bottom contours or vegetation). Therefore, the final number of unknown anomalies identified during the LMNA-8 Project is 43. Further, 9 of the 11 wrecks dove upon during the project were discovered using improved sonar equipment; previous sonar survey data was either ambiguous or objects were not recognized as submerged cultural resources.

These wrecks and sites join dozens of other submerged cultural resources already identified in the lake. Comparing and associating these new sites with known sites increases our understanding of the historical context within which these cultural resources operated or were exploited by Minnesotans. Firstly, the Half-Decked Barge Wreck (21-HE-505) not only represents 19th Century transportation, but the commercial waterborne activities associated with bulk cargo carrying. Like the NRHP property the Wayzata Bay Wreck (21-HE-401) - an 85-foot barge owned and operated by J.J. Hill and his partners - the Half-Decked Barge Wreck probably transported cut wood and timber from the Upper Lake to Wayzata, transferring the cargo to Great Northern Railway trains headed to the Twin Cities. Beyond this association, the Half-Decked Barge Wreck is a tangible example of the skill and knowledge of Minnesota boat builders of the latter 19th Century. The heavy and well-constructed wreck was built with longevity in mind; MHM contends a probable working life of over 30 years is not unreasonable. Like the Wayzata Bay Wreck, 21-HE-505 is a rare example of her kind since work boats like barges were rarely preserved for future generations.

The late 19th and early 20th Centuries saw the transition from the use of steam engines to the use of internal combustion engines to power watercraft. This change allowed for the widespread ownership of personal watercraft - gasoline launches, yachts, small craft - without the need to hire a licensed steam engineer to operate a boat’s power plant. Therefore, the survival of the gasoline launch Theta Wreck on the bottom of Lake Minnetonka greatly enhances Minnesota’s Maritime History - currently she is a one-of-a-kind nautical archaeological site in our State. MHM cannot determine - at this time - if Theta was constructed in Minnesota. However, MHM contends she was the creation of a local boat-builder such as Moore, Wise, Dyer, or Ramaley, and that her engine may have been fabricated by the Enterprise Machine Company of Minneapolis. While a few Minnesota-designed and constructed gasoline launches from the early 20th Century have survived - such as the Royal Moore-built Harriet - she is not of the same design or size as Theta. Surely Theta is a unique Minnesota nautical archaeological site but in a broader context, she is representative of wooden gasoline launches of her time that were constructed throughout the US. Her compromise stern in particular sets her apart from other Minnesota wrecks and the survival of her engine in situ is atypical in the State’s archaeological record. Lastly, the presence of Theta’s brass nameplate on both the starboard and port bow - also atypical - suggests that MHM should be able to research the complete history of the watercraft. To date, no mention of Theta has been located in the maritime historical record.

The three small wooden wrecks identified during the LMNA-8 Project - the Fisherman’s Friend Wreck 4 (21-HE-509) and the Wooden Motor Boat Wrecks 4 (21-HE-513) and 3 (21-HE-506) join a fleet of other wooden small craft on the bottom of Lake Minnetonka. The Fisherman’s Friend Wreck 4 is noteworthy because of its athwartships bottom planking and keel-less design, a construction method that required less skill to accomplish - but was nonetheless a sturdy design of the late 19^th and early 20^th Centuries. Of the 18 small wooden wrecks identified on the lake bottom to date (Gideon Bay Wreck [21-HE-415], Wayzata Bay Wreck [21-HE-417], St. Louis Bay Wreck [21-HE-422], Crystal Bay Rowboat Wreck [21-HE-457], Wooden Motor Boat Wreck [Anomaly 467], Maxwell Bay Rowboat Wreck [21-HE-469], Fisherman's Friend Wreck [21-HE-485], Wooden Sloop Wreck [21-HE-486], North Arm Rowboat Wreck [21-HE-487], Flat Bottomed Rowboat Wreck [21-HE-488], Fisherman's Friend Wreck 2 [21-HE-489], Fisherman’s Friend Wreck 3 [21-HE-499], Wooden Motor Boat Wreck [21-HE-500], Hydroplane Wreck [21-HE-501], Hydroplane Wreck 2 [21-HE-502], Wooden Motor Boat Wreck 3 [21-HE-506], Fisherman’s Friend Wreck 4 [21-HE-509], Wooden Motor Boat Wreck 4 [21-HE-513]), this wreck – along with the Fisherman's Friend Wreck (21-HE-485) and Fisherman’s Friend Wrecks 2 and 3 (21-HE-489, 21-HE-499), and the Flat-Bottomed Rowboat Wreck (21-HE-488) – are the only small examples with athwartships bottom planking. For comparison, the Hopper Barge Wrecks (21-HE-441), two of the larger wooden wrecks in the lake, are also athwartships planked. These 2 large and sturdy work boats were constructed by master craftsman Captain John R. Johnson of Excelsior. These 7 examples of athwartships planked vessels, 2 large and 5 small, were similarly constructed. However, the skill level needed to produce them was vastly different; 4 of the small rowboats (21-HE-485, 21-HE-489, 21-HE-499, 21-HE-509) could have been constructed by a local boatworks or by an individual with minimal construction experience. The other small wreck (21-HE-488) and the Hopper Barges required more knowledge of watercraft construction and skill to produce. Further, the longitudinally-planked small boats identified during the LMNA-8 Project - the Wooden Motor Boat Wrecks 4 and 3 were designed and built by skilled boatwrights - joining 12 other craft of similar construction that date from the early 1900s to the 1950s. This group of 18 small boats joins other small craft housed in museums and collections in Minnesota that MHM has and is documenting; together they form a significant historical legacy for all Minnesotans to learn from and enjoy.

The 2 small metal wrecks identified during this project - the Steel Motor Boat Wreck (21-HE-510) and the Aluminum Motor Boat Wreck (21-HE-507) are the earliest examples of small metal boats on the bottom of Lake Minnetonka. With the possibility that 21-HE-510 may have been constructed by a Minneapolis boat-building company, she is an important link in the State’s metal craft production history. Further, the other 2 metal wrecks identified during the LMNA-S Project - the Crestliner Sportsman Wreck (Anomaly 722) and the Larson Game Warden Wreck (Anomaly 726) - are Minnesota-built watercraft. These 2 boats join 5 aluminum Lake Minnetonka wrecks constructed by Minnesota companies Alumacraft (Alumacraft Center Console Model R Wreck [21-HE-448], Alumacraft Model R Wreck [Anomaly 20.1], Alumacraft Model A Wreck [Anomaly 462], Lund (Lund Aluminum Fishing Boat Wreck, Anomaly 69), and Crestliner (Crestliner Admiral Wreck, Anomaly 689). All 7 small metal wrecks found on the lake bottom are different models from each other or carry different attributes from each other, supplying great variety in the nautical archaeological record. Likewise, the Wisconsin-built fiberglass Shell Lake Portager Wreck (21-HE-508) is historically significant due to her early date, rarity, and her apparent status as a short production vessel that was introduced back into the company’s line-up roughly 20 years later. Lastly, the Fiberglass Scow Sailboat Wreck (Anomaly 688) joins the Larson Fiberglass Sailboat Wreck (Anomaly 595) as the only vessels of this type yet identified on the bottom of the lake. The low freeboard of Anomaly 688 is similar to wooden scows found sailing on Lake Minnetonka, but her fiberglass construction suggests the design of a sailboard. These two aspects of Anomaly 688, a small and rather modern wreck in shallow water, raise many questions about her origins that have yet to be answered.

As more Minnesota wrecks are documented, the changes in watercraft design and construction will more completely fill-out the maritime historical record. Many of the smaller craft on the bottom of Lake Minnetonka represent nearly 140 years of our relationship with historical personal watercraft. When the internal combustion engine began to replace steam-powered boats in the late 19^th and early 20^th Century, watercraft operation became possible for 1 person to do since a boiler operator was not longer necessary. The rapid development of the outboard motor set up the proliferation of personal watercraft, made of wood, steel, aluminum, and fiberglass. The higher speeds attained by internal combustion engines also led to changes in hull design.

Other maritime sites identified during the LMNA-8 Project, the Pontoon (Anomaly 737), Dock (Anomaly 736), Dock Canopy (Anomaly 721), Dock Ladder Slide (Anomaly 585a), Fishing Spot (Anomaly 680), and Drainage Infrastructure (Anomaly 719) represent part of a boat, a vessel mooring place with 2 attributes associated with it, an artificial reef for recreation, and a shoreline modification. The 3 snowmobiles - a Polaris, Rupp, and an unknown brand (Anomalies 660, 723, 738) - identified during this project join a Polaris snowmobile (Anomaly 289) recognized several years ago. MHM is confident that there are many, many more snowmobiles still sitting on the lake bottom. Miscellaneous objects such as the Shed Wall (Anomaly 708), Cable (Anomaly 718), Barrel (Anomaly 751), and possible wreck part (Anomaly 731) are among dozens of objects blown into the lake by strong storms or deposited there by the habit of disposing of unwanted objects on the ice or dumped from boats.

The diversity of nautical, maritime, and underwater sites so far identified in Lake Minnetonka are tangible examples of the rich maritime history of the area. Through research, diving on wrecks and anomalies to collect pertinent data, and ensuring that the collected information is accessible by the public, MHM will continue to investigate Lake Minnetonka's submerged cultural resources into the future. As shown by the 9 new wrecks identified by MHM using new and improved sonar equipment during this project, the continued re-scanning of several sections of Lake Minnetonka is warranted. Comparison of sonar data recorded from different directions and during times of the year have revealed new sites as well as false targets that do not require reconnaissance using SCUBA. This new data allows MHM to produce smart and efficient dive plans; this will continue into the future. The results of the LMNA-8 Project summarized above is connected to all the work that came before and that will come after its completion. It is clear that the types of sites that exist in Lake Minnetonka are diverse, archaeologically and historically significant, and worthy of great attention. To date, the watercraft located on the bottom of Lake Minnetonka represent nearly 1,000 years of Minnesota's maritime history and nautical archaeology. In the historic period, the known wrecks represented in the lake span over 140 years of local maritime culture. The data collected during the LMNA-1-8 Projects have been utilized to create the Lake Minnetonka Multiple Property Documentation Form, a guide that will be used to nominate Lake Minnetonka's submerged cultural resources to the National Register of Historic Places (NRHP). At this point, the Wayzata Bay Wreck (21-HE-401) has been successfully nominated to the NRHP by MHM. Lastly, the large and significant data produced during the Lake Minnetonka projects has and will be used for comparison purposes as MHM identifies wrecks and maritime resources on the bottom of other Minnesota lakes. To date, these bodes of water include White Bear Lake, Lake Waconia, Prior Lake, Lake Johanna, Medicine Lake, and Lake Pulaski. Additionally, MHM's vetting of volunteer divers – choosing only ethical, responsible people who understand our Mission to locate, document, preserve, and conserve Minnesota's finite submerged cultural resources within a not-for-profit paradigm –  led to a productive and honest working environment in the field. Fundamentally, MHM conducted sound nautical and maritime archaeology, strong maritime historical research that produced trustworthy data for analysis and future use, and we chose a group of trustworthy volunteers to assist us with the fulfillment of this project's goals.

In Copyright. This work is copyrighted to Ann Merriman, Christopher Olson, and Maritime Heritage Minnesota. It cannot be duplicated, altered, or hosted online by an unauthorized third party. It cannot be sold for a profit or used to make a profit by any unauthorized third party and no commercial use is allowed. It can be used as a scholarly resource with proper citation to Ann Merriman, Christopher Olson, and Maritime Heritage Minnesota.

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